


The Kids Are Alright

by Outcastarrow14



Category: Ben 10 Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:49:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29779890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Outcastarrow14/pseuds/Outcastarrow14
Summary: "Poachers" Ben repeated, his voice cracking slightly as his mind was suddenly clouded with a nervous bundle of parental instincts that he didn't even know he had. "Yes," Rook replied, studying his partner carefully. "Young Necrofriggian wings are worth a fortune among the criminal underground. Especially after they have absorbed solar radiation for the first time."
Comments: 16
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Guys, I originally wrote this story back in 2015 on my FF. Net account under the user name Smallvillephantom14 and went on Hiatus. But I am back now and not dead and I am here to give you more content! 
> 
> I will be uploading chapter 3 shortly. Hope you like the newly edited original chapters!

-10-

Rook shifted uncomfortably in his seat, sending a sidelong glance in his partner's direction. Ben had been unusually quiet throughout their voyage to the Monoceros system. They were on their way to Kylmyys of all places.

Rook had already been a bit of a nervous mess when he was told of the assignment, the planet was famously known for being one of the coldest places in the galaxy, and his species didn't handle extreme cold very well. He was a plumber though so he had to—as the earthlings say—suck on up, or was the expression suck it up? He pouted in frustration and drummed his fingers on his ship's steering wheel. At least he wasn't the only one who was unsettled about the mission. It was obvious that something was bothering Ben, he had never seen the young hero so quiet before. Normally Ben was a loud impulsive ball of energy bursting with sass and poorly made decisions. The silence was unsettling.

"Have you ever been to Kylmyys?" Rook asked expectantly, already knowing the answer was yes. He had read Ben's file after all. He was just hoping the question was enough to get Ben talking again. "If you have, maybe you could tell me of your adventures there?"

"Why," Ben frowned as he continued looking out the window and into the vastness of space. "You know the answer already."

"I-I well yes, but you often like to tell me anyway." Rook replied, his concern only growing.

Ben's reflection in the window smiled faintly before becoming solemn again.

"Hey rook, how much do you know about big chills culture?"

Rook blinked in surprise at the sudden change in conversation.

"You mean Necrofriggin culture." Rook tentatively corrected before continuing on "You cannot keep denoting an entire race by the name of one of your alien forms."

"Sorry." Ben apologized softly as he pulled his knees up to his chest, shoulders slumping slightly as he hugged them. Rook was right, he really should know better. Especially since…. Ben squeezed his eyes shut, nope, he wasn't about to start thinking about them again. He shook his head and turned his attention to his partner.

Rook froze when his eyes met Bens for the first time since they left earth. He was unable to name the various changing emotions that seemed to be running through those green orbs. This Ben was different from the overly confident one he was used to dealing with.

"So you know how we're heading down there to make sure the—." Ben paused, he almost said big chill again. He winced as a metal nest and small blue wings flashed through his mind. "Necrofriggian offspring that had been born across the galaxy a year ago enter the planet's atmosphere safely for the first time?"

Rook nodded as he placed his ship in autopilot and gave Ben his undivided attention.

"Well, what about them entering the planet's atmosphere for the first time isn't safe?" Ben asked hesitantly.

"You mean you do not know of the poachers?" Rook blurted out, he would have launched into a lecture about how Ben really should read the mission's objectives before actually going on it, but he held his tongue when he saw the blood drain from Ben's face.

"Poachers" Ben repeated, his voice cracking slightly as his mind was suddenly clouded with a nervous bundle of parental instincts that he didn't even know he had.

"Yes," Rook replied, studying his partner carefully. "Young Necrofriggian wings are worth a fortune among the criminal underground. Especially after they have absorbed solar radiation for the first time. One set of wings could power a city like New York for three years before finally turning to ash, I am sure you can imagine why there is such a high demand for them. Millions are born every 80 years yet only a few hundred of them make it to their home planet alive."

Ben looked horrified, and he had the right to be. Especially since his mind was supplying him with a mind-numbingly large amount of disturbing ways that big chills kids could get murdered.

"But," Rook continued, not at all liking the quiet terror that his partner seemed to emit. "That is why you and I are going there now. To make sure all of them make it home safely to their nestmaker."

Ben froze, and if rook didn't know any better he would have said that the young hero's mind had just blown a fuse.

"Nestmaker?" Ben whispered softly as he turned his attention back to his window. His mind now suddenly full of familiar images that kept him up at night, wondering if he really had done the right thing. He thought that they didn't need him….even though he had wanted them too…and now after hearing that word…

Rook was sure that Ben did not intend for him to hear that word but Rook chose to clarify its meaning regardless.

"Yes, Nestmaker. Necrofriggians are genderless and reproduce A-sexually, so they lack terms like Mother and Father and instead use the term Nestmaker. Their young will usually stay with them until they reach adulthood in 5 years. It is fascinating really."

"What happens if the kids can't find their Nestmaker?" Ben asked.

Rook noticed how Ben seemed to almost be forcing himself to keep his gaze out of the window. His body was tense as if he wanted to open the ship's door and jump out. Rook inadvertently locked the ship's exists after his previous thought left his mind.

"Well," Rook began. "It depends on their lineage and how strong they are. If both of those things test out well then it is likely that another Nestmaker will gladly take care of them."

"And if those two things don't check out?" Ben asked, heart, hammering in his chest.

"They will.." Rook's answer was stopped by a sudden transmission that projected onto the center of the ship's windshield. A blue hooded Necrofriggian was staring at them, red eyes full of what Ben could only guess was unease…not that He could blame the alien, he felt it too…

"You are entering Kylmyys air space. My name is General Effect, if you fail to fully identify yourselves you will be shot down." The General warned, his voice reminded Ben of a pissed off, long-time, smoker, who had just been told that they had to go lite one of the cancer sticks out in the parking lot if they wanted to use it.

"There will be no need for any shooting sir," Rook said as he flashed the general his plumber badge. "We are here to offer our services."

"Your services fail us time and time again, you damn red spot. What makes you think you'll do better than the ones sent 80 years ago?" The general spat.

Ben felt his stomach drop…. the previous plumbers failed….Ben shook his head. He was not about to let those negative thoughts control him. He had kids to save.

"Well for one. I'm here." Ben said, green eyes stealing over as he held up his arm to show off the Omnitrix "And I swear to you that those basters won't be able to even lay a finger on those kids."

"Ben Tennyson," Effect hummed in approval. "It's about time that the plumbers sent us a warrior instead of a nestmaker. Land your ship. We will talk inside."

The hologram blinked off and Ben quickly turned to Rook who was looking slightly pissed off with how he had just been treated.

"What did he mean by Warrior instead of nestmaker? I thought they were all nest makers?" Ben asked.

"Well," Rook took a breath and switched his ship back into manual so he could go about the delicate process of entering the planet's atmosphere. "Their culture splits every Necrofriggian into two categories as they grow up. Nestmaker or Warrior. Generally, a warrior is often cold, calculating, brutish, and narrow-minded, while a Nestmaker is nurturing and kind-hearted but generally considered to be the weaker and— well as rude as it is— the dumber of the two social classes. Warriors exist to protect the nestmakers and the young, and because they cannot be distracted by young of their own, their reproductive organs are removed when they come of age."

Ben blinked, "So despite not having genders they've managed to gender themselves?"

Rook laughed.

"That is a good way to phrase it."

"That's kind of messed up…" Ben said with a frown. He wondered what would happen if the general found out that big chill had kids. Would they discredit him if they found out he was technically a nestmaker? It was obvious they thought Rook was one and they didn't seem to want to listen to a word he said.

Ben sighed and dragged a hand down the side of his face. This mission just kept getting better and better.

-10-

This was the first time Ben had ever been to a Necrofriggian city, he had been to a few villages on the planet, sure, but never a city. It was awesome, gorgeous even. He'd never seen homes that were completely carved from ice before.

A tall tower stood in the center of the city, Ben could see ships coming and going from what he assumed to be its boarding dock.

"I'm guessing that's where we're going?"

"Obviously." Rook replied as the ship quickly reached the destination.

As Rook landed the ship Ben noticed the General and a few other Necrofriggians were waiting for their arrival.

As soon as his ship was on the ground, Rook activated the standard plumber suit he would need for the planet's climate, pulling the hood up over his head and the breathing mask on when the transformation was done. He tossed a small white cuff to Ben.

"What's this?" The young hero asked in confusion.

"Your new plumber suit. Just put it on your other wrist and press the green button to activate it." Rook explained.

"I'll wear it just in case," Ben said as he slipped it on his other wrist. "But I think I'll pass on using it for now. Uncle Max somehow managed to convince Azmuth to give him the lifeform lock for big chill, so…yeah."

Rook watched as Ben fiddled with the watch and entered a few codes before dialing it to big chill and slamming down the button.

Within a matter of seconds, his human partner was replaced with a very tall, very slim, Necrofriggian.

"Well, I'd hate to keep the company waiting," Ben said, pointing in the direction of the general and his group. "Let's go."

Rook Steeled himself for the cold before opening the ship door. His fur bristled when he stepped on the docks' snowy ground.

Ben, who had already phased out of the ship, laughed at his partner's reaction.

"It is not funny Ben! There are no winter months on my home planet, and since I have not been on earth long enough to experience your planet's winter this is the first time I have ever even set foot in the snow!" Rook growled as he pointed at the ground for emphasis.

General Effect Joined in on Ben's laughter and dropped an arm around the Hero's shoulders.

"The nestmaker you protect is quite an interesting fellow." Effect Snorted.

Rook's eyes flashed dangerously, his fur bristled even further.

"Ben and I are partners. He protects me as much as I protect him. Also, I am a Revonnahgander, your people's ways do not apply to me. So I would appreciate it if you stopped treating me as if they did."

The general rolled his eyes, or at least that's what Ben thought he was doing.

"Everfrost why don't you escort Our Revonnahgander guest to where he is needed." Effect said in a flippant manner.

Ben had to bite his lip, yelling at this ass hat would get him nowhere, so he did the best he could and mouthed sorry to Rook as the Necrofriggian guard dragged him in a different direction.

"Follow me, Ben Tennyson, we have much to discuss."

-10-


	2. Chapter 2

-10-

"Where are you to bring me?" Rook growled as he was pushed along by the general's lackey. "What is your birth name?"

"I am Everfrost and I am taking you to the nursery"

Rook blinked, keeping pace with his captor. If he remembered right the nursery is where all the children stayed after their long journey home till they regained their strength.

But the thing was that he and Ben had arrived early. Weeks early. None of the Necrofriggian children should have arrived yet. Why was he going there?

The guard seemed to read the Revonnahgander's mind.

"Some unclaimed arrived yesterday. All our nestmakers are busy, the general wishes you to step in for the nestmaker who is caring for them now. So the nestmaker has enough time to prep for their own younglings arrival." Everfrost explained. His overly loud voice boomed and ripped through the ice cavern they were walking through, but that didn't seem to bother the warrior one bit.

Rook was not happy to hear that he was being reduced to an over-glorified babysitter. He simply didn't understand why they thought of him as a nestmaker. He had helped save the galaxy plenty of times. He had even rescued BEN, he RESCUED the universe's most legendary hero on many occasions. If anything he should be with his partner right now! Not wasting his time doing this.

Rook's inner grumbling came to a halt when he collided with something hard and cold. His fur bristled as he swung his arms out in an attempt to not slip on the icy floor. He was suddenly firmly grasped by the shoulder and helped upright. Everfrost was wheezing, which was his species equivalent of a laugh.

"I think old Effect was right to put you here, you walked into a damn door" he cackled as he scratched a symbol into the ice. All of Rook's embarrassment quickly vanished as he watched the Icey wall light up a dull red. Swirling with different symbols as the door in front of them opened.

A purple-colored Necrofriggin was standing in the entrance.

"Great nurturer," Everfrost said as he pushed rook in her direction. "This one is here to take care of the unclaimed."

She gazed at rook, eyes shifting over his body in a judgmental way. Rook felt highly uncomfortable. As far as he had been aware no plumber had ever met the great nurturer before. she—Well the nurturer had no gender but it was easier to refer to it as she, rook was sure he was going to end up calling all of the nestmakers she anyway, hopefully, that wasn't offensive— she was a mystery. All the plumbers knew of her was that she was the nestmakers leader. She oversaw the nursery itself.

"I suppose this one will do" She hummed in approval. Rook was taken back by how soft her voice sounded compared to all the warriors he had met so far.

"Come outsider, follow me" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared from the entrance. Rook stumbled in after her, jaw-dropping open as he took in his surroundings. The nursery was large, full of metal pods that were cased in swirling ice designs that would give any ice carver back on earth a run for their money.

The floor of the nursery was carpeted and it felt slightly warmer than the other rooms he had been in. the ice designs around the great nurture glowed a bright purple as she passed them. She stopped at an ice flank. It looked like a barren cliff. It was pure ice, the carpet stopped just where the ledge began.

There sat 3 younglings and one nestmaker. The nestmaker seemed to be overly bitter. She was trying to shove food into one of the youngling's mouths, but the poor thing was too cold. It along with its siblings were curled up in a ball, wings tucked tightly against their body as they shivered violently.

The nestmaker raised a hand and slapped the child. Rook winced.

"Kariri," the great nurture growled.

The nestmaker jumped and spun around, terror present in her eyes.

"This outsider will be relieving you of your duties. Follow me."

"You are going to leave them with an outsider? Why are you spending more time on them? They are weak! They deserve to die! I should not be reprimanded for punishing an unclaimed that won't live for much longer!"

"follow now" the nurturer repeated, this time with an edge in her voice that sent chills down Rook's spine.

The nestmaker froze, before walking closer to the great nurturer. Together they left rook standing on the barren Ice cliff with the three kids.

The kids huddled closer together as he stepped forward. Their stunningly emerald green eyes observing him with caution.

Their eyes caught rook off guard. He had seen eyes like theirs before but could not seem to think of where.

He took another step closer and the younglings scrambled back. They were still shivering and breathing heavily.

It was obvious that they were just as frightened as they were cold. This was not a surprise to Rook. Unclaimed children were normally treated horribly. Typically they would be submitted to a test of strengths. If they survived they would be taken in by a new family. Till that point though the children were treated as second-hand citizens.

Windswept through rook and he shivered. Perhaps the first course of action would be to set up a tent for the night.

Rook detached the cube that had been hanging off his belt and threw it to the ground. It instantly started to construct itself.

The tent was shaped like a large orange cube, it was made of self-heating and insulated fabric. Rook could feel the heat radiating off from it, and so could the 3 children.

Rook unzipped the entrance to the tent as he watched them inch closer, he then backed away giving enough distance between him and the entrance that the children would feel comfortable getting closer to it.

It wasn't long before they were inside, Heaped in one corner of the tent purring happily. Rook took this time to slowly enter the tent and zip it closed. Sighing in relief as he felt his skin begin to gain warmth again. He sat down in the corner parallel to the children.

Their purring had turned to nervous wines.

Finally, one of them spoke.

"Are you going to hurt us?"

Rook regarded the young Necrofriggian with a serious look.

"No, never."

"thank you, and thank you for making warmth." Another one of the children squeaked out. This one's voice was much higher than the first one who spoke.

"You are very welcome young one, tell me, what part of the galaxy were you born in?" Rook asked, curious as to how the kids spoke fluent English. "Was it earth?"

The first child spoke again.

"Yes, we traveled from there. Some of our nest siblings didn't make it here with us. And then we arrived here only to find that our nestmaker didn't want us."

Rook watched the young child's eyes fill with tears. He felt awful for them. He could not imagine what they had been through and at such a young age too.

"I am truly and deeply sorry to hear of all of this." Rook said solemnly as he dug through his backpack. He retrieved an orange. It was one of his favorite earth foods. He liked the way the juice filled your mouth when you ate a piece of it. It reminded him of some of his food back on his home planet. He peeled it and split it evenly in 3 and offered it to the young ones.

"Here, you must be hungry." Rook said softly as he offered the children each a bit of the orange. Which they scarfed down greedily.

"You know," He continued as he watched them eat. "You did arrive very early. There is always the chance that your nestmaker simply just did not make it here yet."

This seemed to perk the children up.

"You really think so?" what rook now assumed to be the leader of the group asked. He could see the new-found hope in the child's eyes.

"I would say it is very likely." Rook was cut off by his plumber badge beeping. The children jumped at the noise and huddled together once again as rook answered it.

Ben's Necrofriggin form appeared on the screen.

"Rook!" Ben said with a smile "how are you holding up? Sorry, it took me so long to contact you, the general wouldn't leave me alone and I didn't think it'd be okay to call you till I was alone. They gave me my own room to stay in for the time being."

"I set up my tent inside the nursery. They had me escorted here after I was separated from you. I was tasked with taking care of some unclaimed children for the time being." Rook stopped talking when he saw his partner visibly pale.

"Unclaimed?" Ben repeated; rook could tell he was trying his best to mask whatever emotion was trying to take his body over. If Rook did not know any better, he would have said Ben seemed incredibly nervous.

-BEN10-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so it has been Eon’s (get it?) Yeah, you probably hate me more now. Sorry about it taking forever to update this fic.   
> You can thank some of my Tumblr friends for this even being uploaded because they have been collectively on my ass about updating. 
> 
> Which, by the way. If you want faster updates, please yell at my ADHD ass. My inboxes are always open and honest to God sometimes; I need a push.

Rook’s conversation with Ben did not last long; the young hero was pulled away yet again for some reason. Ben gave the Revonnahgander a half-baked apology before ending the conversation abruptly.   
Rook should have been frustrated, but instead, his mind was more preoccupied with curiosity. The 3 Necrofriggian younglings had suddenly perked up during his video call with Ben the entire time they seemed incapable of taking their eyes off the small projection of his partner. 

“Are you younglings a fan?” Rook asked; it was not unusual for Ben to have many admirers on different planets. His partner was popular among children. They tended to look up to him. 

The question seemed to through the young ones for a loop. They looked shy and unsure of how to answer.   
Rook watched as the younglings turned to each other, no doubt holding a telepathic conversation. Telepathy was a handy gift that their species had been blessed with.   
However, it made things more complicated for Rook. He was unsure as to why such a question needed private debate. Most children would blurt out their answer almost immediately, and given these young ones seemed to be from earth……  
Rook’s eyes widened in realization and maybe a bit of anxiety.   
All Necrofriggians that were not warriors reproduced every 80 years.   
Ben’s Necrofriggian form would still, by all technicality, be a nestmaker…Did Ben… were these unclaimed...?  
The Revonnahgander’s mouth dried up. 

“Why would we be fans?”

Rook was pulled from his spiraling thoughts by the small voice. 

“Well, Ben is very well known across the galaxy.” Rook explained, he was surprised he could get his mouth to work as well as it just did. 

This seemed to shock the younglings more. 

“You did not know he was famous, but you do know him?” Rook ventured. 

The younglings froze. 

“Maybe…” the leader from before spoke up again, pausing to choose their words carefully. “We…Our nestmaker sounds like Ben.”

Rook felt blindsided; he leaned his back against the wall of his tent as his brain worked to process the information.   
All those questions about the poachers, about the children…. It all made sense now, and Rook was not sure how to feel about it. 

“Our nestmaker doesn’t want us, right?”   
Rook glanced back at the 3 young ones. It seemed that the smallest of them was the one who asked the question. The poor thing was trembling, green eyes dead set on the Revonnahgander, almost daring him to try and sugar coat his answer. 

“I—” Rook paused and took a breath, “I am unsure, but given how he has been behaving, I believe he is worried about you.”

The young one didn’t seem to know how to respond to that.

“You need to understand that your father—Nestmaker, I mean—He is in a very complicated situation where if it got out that he was a nestmaker. It could put a lot of younglings in danger.”

“what do you mean, and what does the word ‘he’ mean?” The leader of the three asked softly. 

Rook licked his lips. 

Of course, the children would not know human terms for gender. Should he explain the concept to them? Rook was worried they might choose to imitate their father, opting for gendered pronouns when they technically did not fit any of the prescribed attributes of the human gender spectrum at all.   
Would choosing such a thing harm them?   
Rook grimaced as he thought of the mutilation practices that Necrofriggians held as tradition. The children on Kylmyys were given even less freedom than those on earth when it came to such concepts. That said something significant, given how the intergalactic council often referred to the earth's outdated and misguided practices as barbaric.   
This was not Rook’s choice to make, and honestly, it was not Ben’s either, but Rook would feel more comfortable if he were here with him to have such a discussion.   
They would need to make the best choices for their kids, and—Rook paused mid-thought. He called them his kids, their kids, he loved Ben but…

Rook looked up at the children, who were still waiting patiently for him to explain. 

He felt his heart melt. He was okay with this, and he knew on some level Ben was too. He was just understandably afraid. 

“He or Him is just another word your Nestmaker uses to describe who they are,” Rook said slowly, hoping the children would understand. “As for the rest of what I said, your nestmaker is also a warrior.”

One of the younglings, the one who had said nothing so far, piped up. 

“You can not be both a Nestmaker and a Warrior; that doesn’t make sense?” 

“Maybe not for your kind, no, but your nestmaker is not just a Necrofriggian. He’s a human too.” Rook explained as he pulled out his plumber spot. He used it to pull up a picture of Ben as a human.   
“This is what your nestmaker normally looks like; he was born a human.”

The children didn’t seem to know how to respond to this. 

“You probably only remember his Necrofriggian form,” Rook said as he pulled up a picture of big chill.   
That caught the children’s attention. They very quickly came closer to examine the picture. 

“That’s definitely our nestmaker,” the leader of the 3 said softly before looking up at Rook. The youngling looked troubled. “How can he do that?”

Rook was taken back by how quickly the youngling had learned to use pronouns. 

“It is because of a weapon called the Omnitrix; it allows your Nestmaker to change into many different life forms.”

The kids huddled up to Rook as he showed them all of Ben's other forms and listened with amazement when the Revonnahgander started to tell them of their Fathers battles and adventures. 

“So, he really is both,” the youngest of the group blurted out, processing the thought. “Does that mean we are both too?”

Rook’s brain froze. 

“If you would like to be.” He answered softly, patting the little one on the head. 

The children seemed to like that answer. 

Rook stiffened as all three of them climbed up into his lap, snuggling him. They were such tiny things. Rook smiled as he watched them doze off to sleep. 

Once he was sure they were in a deep enough slumber, Rook decided to text Ben. 

{Are you alone?} Rook 

{Rook, I need to ask you something} Ben.

{Odd, because I must ask you something as well} Rook.

{You go first then.} Ben 

Rook stared at the text and licked his lips. He could already feel the nervous knot that his stomach was starting to tie into.

{I am going to be honest. I am not sure how to ask this.} Rook 

There was a beat of silence, and then his plumber spot vibrated and lit up as Ben’s new texts came in rapid-fire. 

{The unclaimed you’re with are mine, aren’t they?} Ben. 

{I am sorry for not telling you} Ben. 

{Are they all okay?} Ben. 

{Are you okay?} Ben.

{Do they remember me?} Ben. 

Rook swallowed and tried to collect himself. 

{They remember Big chill, but they did not know who you were. I just talked with all 3 of them. They seem to be very proud that you are their father.} Rook. 

{3?} Ben.

{I had 14 Rook, why are there only 3 with you?} Ben. 

{Are they okay????} Ben. 

{Please tell me they are okay???} Ben. 

Rook felt his heart stop. His mind flashed back to what one of the little ones had said. 

“Some of our nest siblings didn’t make it here with us.”

The phrase now echoed around in his head. Rook covered his mouth to stop the sob that wanted to escape from it; the reality of what the kids said and how it would now apply to Ben had not hit him till now. He forced back the tears and took a deep breath in through his nose. Crying would only wake the young ones, and they deserved to sleep in a place where they felt safe and cared for, for once. 

{Rook?} Ben. 

{Rook, Please.} Ben. 

{Are they all okay??} Ben. 

{Please tell me the other 11 are okay??} Ben. 

{That’s it. I am coming to find you and them!} Ben. 

Panic overcame Rook when he read that last text. 

{YOU CAN NOT COME HERE} Rook. 

Rook stared at the screen, praying that Ben would respond back and not just do something impulsive. 

{Don’t use all caps with me. Those are my kids. I want them safe.} Ben. 

{Ben, you cannot claim them. You cannot come here to see them either.}Rook.

{I can believe you just said that…..}Ben. 

{Ben, please think. You saw how they treated me. How do you think they will treat you if it gets out that you had children?} Rook.

{So? I will make them listen.} Ben. 

{What if they do not listen to you. Millions of younglings will die at the hands of those poachers. A few already have. They need you to be a warrior right now, Ben. Not a nestmaker.} Rook. 

{A few already died?} Ben. 

{The other 11.} Ben.

{They}Ben. 

Rook watched as the dots at the bottom of the screen stopped and picked up again. It meant that Ben was trying to formulate a response but was no doubt too grief-stricken to do so. The tears that Rook had been fighting spilled out over his cheeks.

{I am so sorry.} Rook. 

The Dots stopped. 

-10-


End file.
